Printing press



o. R." woLF PRINTING PRESS Dec. 20, i1932.

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Patented Dec. 20, -1932 UNIT-eo STATES PATENT OFFICE OTTO It. WOLF, or nIvEn FOREST, ILLINOIS, ASSIGNOR To THE TRIBUNE COMPANY, or' CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, A CORPORATION OF ILLINOIS PRINTING PRESS Application led January 3, 1931. Serial No. 506,344.

' This invention relates to the art of printing and particularly to an improvement in Intaglio printing presses. designed especially for use in multi-color work.

In my Patent No. 1,784,037, issued December 9, 1930, I have shown a press in which printing in a plurality of colors is effected by the use of a series-of narrow widthprinting cylinders, in combination with one or more full width printing cylinders, the narrow width cylinders being arranged to make an impression upon a particular part of the web independently of the printing of the remaining portions of the web. The use of the narrow width cylinders, each of which is adjustable independently of the other members of the series, greatly increases the flexibility of the press from the standpoint of color variation, ,and also simplifies the work of obtainingfaccurate registration of the -impressions produced by the several units of the press.

Y While the use of individual narrow widthprinting cylinders is desirable from the standpoint of color variation obtainable, it is not wholly satisfactory in practice due to the difficulty encountered in removing ink from the ends of the cylinder. The scraper knife engages the cylindrical face of the cylinder but does not remove the ink from the ends of the cylinder, with the result that a' mark is frequently made on the web at the end of the cylinder. It is for this reason that it is necessary tO-use printing cylinders which are long enough to extend beyond theedges of the widest web that is to be printed.

One of the important Objects of my invention is to provide a press for printing a plurality of colors in intaglio in which only full width printing cylinders are used, the flexibility obtainable by the use of the narrow p width cylinders, as disclosed in my previous application. hereiubefore referred to, being attained according to my invention, by making provision for the-release of the web in the second'couple of a color unit to allow the impression made by the first intaglio cylinder to pass through the second couple of the unit without contacting the intaglio cylinder of the second couple'.

Other objects and advantages of my invention will be apparent as I proceed w1th my specification, which, taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, discloses a preferred embodiment thereof.

In the drawings: Y

Fig.' 1 is a diagrammatic view of a Inultl-` color intaglio .press embodying the Inven- Fig. 2 is a plan view showing in diagram- 6G matic form the arrangement of the couples v in the several units of the press;

Fig. v3 is a transverse view, partly in section, showing the mountingof one of the couples in the press frame; and 66 Fig. 4 is a detail section, taken on the llne 4 4 of Fig. 3, and illustrating the means for Obtaining radial adjustment of the intaglio. cylinder.

Referring to the drawings, and particularly to Fig. 1, the press comprises, in the embodiment shown; four color units, indicatedv generally'by the numerals 1, 2, 3 and 4, the first three including separate couples for making an impression on a portion of the width of the web and the fourth including a single couple for printing over the full width of the web; a color unit 5 consisting of a single couple for printing the Opposite side of the web; a series of drying cylinders 6 interposed between the successive units of the press; and a folding mechanism 7 for reducing the web to page form.

The web 8 is taken from a supply roll 9 over a guide roller 11 from which it passes through the first color unit 5 to a. second guide roller 12, from which point it passes upwardly around the first of the drying cylinders 6. From this point the web is alternately threaded in order through the color units 1, 2, 3 and 4 and over the intervening drying cylinders 6 to the folding mechanism 7, the guide rollers 1-3 being positioned at regular intervals along the path of the-web to support it in the proper position relative to the printing and drying cylinders. Each of the intaglio cylinders is provided with an individual inking fountain 14 and a scraper knife 15 for removing excess ink from the Surface of the cylinder. Any convenient type a portion of the width of the web, to allow embodiment shown unit 5 prints the outside' the impression of the first couple of the unit to pass through the unit without contacting the intaglio cylinder of the second couple.

The first unit 5 consists of an etched or intaglio cylinder 17, and an impression cylinder 18, between which the web passes to re celve an impression of the design of the cylin-` der 17. The cylinder 17 prints across the full width of the web, on the outside, that is, on

the side opposite the one to be printed in several colors in the following units. In the of the sheet in brown, the cylinder 17 being etched to print the design 19 on the upper i half of the web andthe design 20 on the lower cylinder of reduced diameter and the full half of the web.

The second color unit 1 consists of individual couples having intaglio cylinders 21 and 22 and corresponding impression cylinders 23 and 24. The cylinder 21'is etched to print. the Vlower half of the web 8 and the cylinder 22 is etched to print the upper half of the web. It will be apparent that inasmuch as a drying cylinder cannot be interposed between the couples of unit 1, it is necessary to provide means for preventing contact between the impression printed by the cylinder 21 and the face of the cylinder 22. According to my invention the impression cylinder 24 of the second couple is off-set or under-cut, as indicated at 25, to provide clearance for allowing the impression of the first couple to pass through the second couple without contacting the cylinder 22. By thus reducing the diameter of the cylinder 24 over the area of the web which is printed upon by the cylinder 21, I am able to print designs on both the upper and the lower halves of the web in a single color unit without using narrow width cylinders. The amount of ofi'- set on the cylinder 24 need not be more than E of an inch, the object being merely, to provide sufficient clearance to prevent contact of the impression of the first couple with theface of the second intaglio cylinder. The off-set shoulder joining the portion of the diameter portion is preferably tapered to avoid a sharp edge. It is not necessary to have an off-set in the first couple of the unit inasmuch as the impressioniof the previous unit has been dried by the drums 6 by the time they reach the succeeding units. I have foundthat there is no tendency whatever for the paper to be thrown out of alignment by rea-son of this off-setting in the second couple ot the color unit. The first couple engages the full width of the web and prevents the oisetk'inpthe second couple from adecting the aligned position of the web. The succeeding color units 2 ,and 3 are similar in const-ruction to unit 1. each being provided with individual couples for printing on the upper and lower halves of the web. The last color unit 4 consists of a single couple ycomprising Van intaglio cylinder 26 and an `impresslon cylinder 27. In the embodiment shown this unit prints in black over the full width of the web.

The operation of the press will be readily understood by reference to Fig. 2. The colors printed in the several units are indicated on the figure and are in order: brown, yellow, red, blue, and black. It will be understood that the showing of the designs on the web in this figure is diagrammatic only, both the designs 19 and 20 which -are printed in unit 5 on the outside of the sheet, and the designs subsequently printed on the inside of the sheet, being shown in full lines. i

As the lower half of the web passes between the cylinders 21 and 23 forming the first couple of unit 1, it receives a design 65 in yellow which is formed by the etching on the lower half of the intaglio cylinder 21. Although this design is still wet it passes between the cylinders 22 and 24 of the second couple without injury inasmuch as contactwith the cylinder 22 is avoided by the offset on the cylinder 24. In passing between the cylinders 22 and 24 the upper half of the web similarly receives two designs 66 and 67 in yellow, which are formed by the etching on the upper half of intaglio cylinder 22. The design 65 may either be of. the same shade of yellow as the designs 66 and 67, or of a different shade, inasmuch as separate ink fountains are provided for each couple of the unit.

As the web passes between the cylinders 21 and 23 of the second color unit, which is the red unit, it receives a design 68 in red, which is formed by the etching on the lower half of the intaglio cylinder 21 of the first couple. In passing between the cylinders 22 and 24 of the second couple the upper half of the web is given a design 69 in red, and also two orange designs 71 and 72. the design 71 being formed by superposing the red on the y'ellow design 66, and the design 72 being slmllarly formed by superposing the red on the lower portion of the yellow design 67. It w1ll be noted that the red color printed on the upper and lower halves of the web need not be of the Same'shade inasmuch as each couple of the red unit is provided with a separate ink fountain.

In the third color unit. which is the b lue unit, the lower half of the web in passlng Y between the cylinders of the first couple is given a design 73 in blue, this design avoiding contact with the intaglio cylinder of the second couple by reason of the offset in the impression cylinder of said couple. The upper half of the web in passing through the cylinders of the second couple of this unit receives a design 74 in blue, and a design 75 in black, the latter being formed by superposing blue on the orange design 71. The same shade of blue need not be printed in` the separate couples of this unit, there being separate ink fountains for each couple.

Inpassing through the last unit 4,-Which,

is the black unit, both halves of the web are printed at the same time, inasmuch as this unit consists of a single couple which prints over the full width of the web. In this unit the lower half of the web is given an outline 76 in black. Similarly the upper half of the web is given an outline 77 in black. d

.If desired, instead of employing a single couple in unit 4, as shown, a pair of couples may be provided as in units 1-3. Also one or more of the latter units may be replaced by a unit like unit 4 in case it is desired to print in one of the colors over the full width of the web. The particular combination of the several units may be varied as desired to meet the dcla-ss of work for which the press is to be use While the designs illustrated have been indicated merely as rectangular strips, it will be noted that the particular outline of the design may be formed to illustrate any desired type of subject matter. This sequence of co or printing may be considered as a typical example of the work which may be attained on a press constructed accordino' to my invention. Designs of different subject matter and having different color combinations are produced on the opposite halves of the web by independent printing operations in the units 1, 2. and 3. Printing in different colors, Or in different shades of the same color, may be accomplished in a single unit just as in the case of the use of the narrow width intaglio cylinders. The design produced on the and blue. The design on the lower half of the web contains an original black, and the three elementary colors, yellow, red and blue. The .example illustrates the color variation .which may be obtained by the use of the press.

described for the printing of the inside of the sheet. Y

Inasmuch as all of the cylinders in the press are full width cylinders, the mechanism for obtaining longitudinal and radial adjustment of the cylinders may be of any standard type now well known in the art. vOne form of such mechanism, as applied to the second couple of oneof the color units, is shown in Figs. 3 and 4. The shaft 36 for supporting the intaglio cylinder 22 is journaled at 1t's opposite ends in bearings 37 carried by the columns 38 of the press frame. i

The mechanism for obtaining longitudinal adjustment of the cylinder 22 is shown in the lett-hand portion of Fig. 3. This mechanism comprises; a threaded shaft member 39, rotatably supported in abracket arm 41 which is secured to the column 38; a travehng block 42, slidably mounted upon a rod 43 extending parallel to the shaft member 39; and a second block 44 carried on a sleeve 45 which is secured on the projecting end of shaft 36. A nut 46 holds lblock 44 on the sleeve 45. The blocks 42 and 44 are tapped to receive the threaded shaft member 39. The longitudinal movement of these blocks, effected by turning of the hand Wheel 47, serves to shift the cylinder 22 in the bearings 37. This longitudibolts 52, the inner ends of which are threaded justed to obtain correct registry of the etching witlrthe web, the bolts 52 are tightened to hold the cylinder 22 in lixed posltion relative to the other cylinders of the press. The couple is driven through gear 51 which connects with the gears which drive the adjacent couple of the unit and with gears which connect with the main drive shaft of the press. This drive mechanism is well known in the art and forms no part of the present invention.

The impression cylinder 24 is yieldingly and adjustably supported from the press columns 38 to permit control of the pressure applied to the web. In the embodiment' shown the shaft 54, which supports the -impression cylinder 24, is supported at its opposite ends in hangers 55. Each of the han ers 55 is supported froma bracket 56 Whic is secured by suitable bolt connections to the ladjacent column 38 of the press frame. The

connection between the bracket 56 and the hanger 55 is shown in detail in the upper left- 5 hand portion of Fig. 3.` A bolt 57 extends centrallythrough a sleeve 58 and `is secured at its lower end in the hanger 55, the upper end of said bolt being provided with lock nuts 59 which rest on the upper end of sleeve 58. The

lower end of bolt 57 has screw-threaded engagement with a bushing 61 which has free sliding movement in a counterbore 62 formed in the lower end of sleeve 58. A coil spring 63, interposed between the bushing 61 and the upper end of the counterbore 62, affords a yielding connection between bolt 57 and sleeve 58. The upper portion of sleeve 58 is threaded exteriorly to engage an interiorly threaded gear wheel 64, the turning of which raises or lowers the sleeve 58 in the bracket 56. The gear wheels 64 at the opposite ends of the cylinder 24 are interconnected by suitable gear and shaft connections to effect simultaneous adjustment of `both ends of the impression cylinder.

While I have illustrated the invention as applied to one general arrangement of a multi-color intaglio press, it is to be understood that this general arrangement may be ofany desired or known form. Also if it is only desired to use a single color for both couples of a given unit, a single inking fountain may be employed to `supply both of the v intaglio cylinders.

While I have shown the use of an under-cut impression cylinder in the second couple of i prefer to provide an oli-set .on'the impresf units 1 3, to provide the necessary clearance for the impression formed in the first couple, I do not wish to have the invention limitedto the use of the under-cut impression cylinder..

. sion cylinder as shown.

The foregoing detailed description has been given for clearness of understanding only,

A and no unnecessary limitations should be understood therefrom, but the appended claims should be construed as broadly as permissible in view of the prior art.

IVhat I regard as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

. 1. In a printing press for printing in in-r` taglio, a printing unit comprising a pair of i printing couples, each couple yincluding an` impression cylinder and an intaglio cylinder for printing a portion-of the width` of thel web, one of the cylinders of thesecond couple being under-cut circumferentially over that portion of its length corresponding to the width ofthe section of the web printed by the lirst couple to allow said web section to pass through the unit without contacting the cylinders of the second couple.

2. In a press for printing in intaglio, a printing unit comprising a pair ofprinting couples,` each couple including an impression cylinder and an intaglio cylinder for printing a portion of the width of the web, one of the cylinders of the second couple being under-cut circumferentially over that portion of its length corresponding to the width of the section of the web printed by the first couple to allow said web section to pass througlr the unit4 without contacting the cylinders of the second couple, and inking devices individualized unit. v g

3. In a press for printing in intaglio, a printing unit comprising a pair of printing couples, each couple including an impression cylinder and an intaglio cylinder for printing a portion of the width of the web, the impression cylinder of the second couple being off-set to allow that part of the width of the web bearing the. firstimpression topass through -the unit without contacting the cylinders of the second couple.

4. In a press for printing in intaglio, a printing unit comprising a pair of printing couples, each couple including an impression Lcylinder and an intaglio cylinder for printing a portion of the width of the web, the

cylinders of the second couple being shaped to provide clearance b'etween that part of they width of the web bearing the first impression and the face of the second intaglio cylinder.

5. In a. press for printing in intaglio, in combination: a printing unit for printing on one side of the web, said unit having an intaglio cylinder for printing the full width of' the web; and a second printing unit for printing on the other side of the web, said ylast. mentioned unit comprising a pair of to each couple of said printing couples, each of said couples including an impression cylinder and an intaglio cylinder for printing a portion of the width 'of the web, one of the cylinders of the combination: a printing unit for printing on one side of the web, said unit having an intaglio `cylinder for printing the full width of the web; and a second printing unit for .printing on the other side of the web, said last mentioned unit comprising a, pair of printing couples, each of said couples including an impression cylinder and an intaglio cylinder for printing a portionof the Width of the web, the cylinders of the second couple being shaped to provide clearance hetween the impression of the rst couple and l the facel of the second intaglio cylinder.

' 7. In a press for. printing in intaglio, in combination k n printing unit for printing on one side of the web, said unit having an intaglio cylinder for printing the full Width of the web; a second printing unit for printing on the other side of the web, said last mentioned unit comprising a pair of printing couples, each of said couples including an impression cylinder and an intaglio cylinder for printing a portion of the Width of the web, one of the cylinders of the second couple lbeing under-cut over the portion of the web printed by the first couple to allow the impression of the first couple to pass through the unit without contacting the cylinders of the second couple, and inking devices individualized tothe cou les of said units.

In Witness' whereof,l hereunto subscribe my name tothis specification.

A OTTO R. WOLF. 

